...The model was well received by the majority of the workshop attendees - with the exception of those who don’t really use computers or models in their daily work life. Researchers, for instance, were keen to learn that they can actually develop their own probabilities and distributions within the software and model itself. Practitioners praised the model for dealing with adapted AWM technologies and taking into account factors related to gender and diversity (women, youth, and vulnerable groups). Read More

Many people would have differing views on participatory monitoring of rainfall records by farmers in rural West Africa. For some, farmers themselves may not care about it as they may not understand the usefulness of partaking in the process; and for others even if farmers are willing to do so they may lack the capacity to record unbiased data using rainfall recording devices. For V2 scientists, it is simply a matter of empowering farmers in rural communities. Indeed, as part of the CPWF-Volta V2 research project entitled “Integrated management of rainwater for crop-livestock agro-ecosystems”, the Scientists implemented a field-based initiative that entailed monitoring of rainfall trends in Northern Ghana and Burkina Faso with the involvement of farming communities.

The Volta Basin Development Challenge (VBDC) is one of six on-going research-for-development initiatives of the CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and Food (CPWF). The VBDC is being carried out with funding from European Union and technical support of IFAD. Please sign up to receive the VBDC Research Update in your inbox at the VBDC Website. Not interested any more?Unsubscribe

The Volta Basin Development Challenge (VBDC) recently held a three-day Field Tour and a three-day Science Workshop to assess the program for relevance and scientific rigor. The discussions during both events paved ways forward for the entire VBDC program and for the individual research projects. This issue provides a very concise overview of the views expressed by invited experts.

Some experts felt that important lessons learnt during the first phase of the CPWF in the Volta (2003 -2008) have not been taken into account in this current phase of the program (2010 – 2013). For instance, linkages between surface water and groundwater in the Volta Basin remain unexplored by the different research projects. Similarly, the VBDC is neither adequately addressing the need for assessing available water resources in the Volta Basin in terms of quantity and quality nor identifying driving factors for water productivity. All of these factors are important for informed decision-making in the context of climate change. Let us bear in mind that increasing food production is not enough to reducing poverty; there should be a market to sustain the positive trend over time by generating more income for farmers. Read More

V1 is using a decision support tool for identifying scaling out opportunities for successful/innovative AWM interventions. In some cases, innovation can take many forms. For example, concerning Small Reservoirs (SR), innovation can be in the construction of new reservoirs, rehabilitation and management of water quality of existing SR, etc. V1 should also take into account policies that have enabled the adoption of successful AWM interventions. Some of the best practices identified by V1 can inform the work of the other VBDC research projects. This is especially true for V2 to which V1 can potentially apply its tool to identify outscaling opportunities. Read More

Crop-livestock systems are the mainstay of livelihoods in the Volta basin. The Innovation Platform (IP) approach used by V2 to explore best – fit rainwater management strategies is pertinent. It should be noted that members usually adhere to IPs to benefit from the “scale economy of association”, that is, to draw more benefits as a group and as individuals. In that regard, some members may discontinue membership if they realize that the platforms are not beneficial to them. V2 should use the market as a driver of IPs to focus on products smallholders can easily sell.Through action research V2 is building farmers’ capacities in the use of rainwater management techniques but some discordance subsists between what scientists are saying and what IP participants are saying. Modeling in V2 should include inputs from the other Vs (V1 in particular), biophysical aspects as well as economic variables.Read More

V3 is looking at several dimensions (biophysical aspects, water quality, public health, irrigation possibilities) concerning the management of Boura 's small reservoir. It should be noted that farming as currently practiced in the irrigated areas of the reservoir is not making full use of available water. Obviously, trade -offs have to be made regarding the use of the reservoir water. For that reason, any information on the optimal allocation of the reservoir water will be very useful to farmers. Those are "low - hanging apples" that V3 team can look at to increase the impact of their research on the livelihoods of Boura's community. Read More

V4 research goes beyond the traditional way of policy analysis. The tools used to encourage participants in multi - stakeholder platforms to identify conflicting issues themselves and to understand other people’s viewpoints over the use of water resources are pertinent for engaging grassroots actors. In Burkina Faso, V4 focuses on how to operationalise CLEs (Water Local Committees) in synergy with SP/PAGIRE, the agency in charge of implementing IWRM policies in the country. The discussions with some CLE members and community members in Bapla (Diebougou) revealed that it is not clear how the CLE connects with grassroots issues. For example, it was not specified how the CLE could tackle issues raised by local people such as construction and rehabilitation of small reservoirs, water quality in small reservoirs and irrigation infrastructure. Read More

The above feedbacks on the overall program and individual research projects have implications for V5. The coordination project should endeavour to systematically collect and analyse information about progress with the outcome targets. V5 team should find ways to capture end users' stories of change as the research projects move along. Cross - cutting issues such as gender and resilience should be further integrated into ongoing VBDC research activities. Read More

The VBDC also contributes to the capacity development of the next generation of young researchers in the sub-region . Student participation has been remarkably active in the recent field tour and science workshop.

The Volta Basin Development Challenge (VBDC) is one of six on-going research-for-development initiatives of the CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and Food (CPWF). The VBDC is being carried out with funding from European Union and technical support of IFAD. Please sign up to receive the VBDC Research Update in your inbox at the VBDC Website.

The VBDC is implementing the research on selected sites within the two main sub-basins of the Volta River (the Black and White Volta) in Ghana and in Burkina Faso, with extrapolation domains covering the whole Volta Basin. Read More

One of the VBDC projects, V1, is on Targeting and Scaling out of successful Agriculture water management (AWM) interventions in the basin. The V1 project objective is to develop an evidence and knowledge-based tool to assess and map the likelihood that a given intervention will be successful in given locations, at the basin scale.Read More

The V3 project team, including members of CIRAD-GEau, IRD, 2iE, and INERA, organized a Feedback Meeting for community members and staff of the local government and extension services, in Boura, Burkina Faso on April 20th 2012.

The CPWF V4 project , Sub-basin management and governance of rainwater and small reservoirs project, is an action-research project that aims at supporting Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) policies and initiatives in Burkina Faso and in Ghana (action component).Read More

The VBDC team mourns the departure of Dr Dembele Youssouf. Read obituary below

The VBDC mourns the death of Dr. Youssouf Dembele

With great sorrow we announce the passing away of Dr. Youssouf Dembele, at age 60 , on Tuesday, 24 April, 2012 in Paris, France. An Agronomist and Engineer, Dr Dembele was best known for his research work in irrigation and in rice production in Burkina Faso and in the West Africa Sub-region. Just before his death he served as the Inland Valley Coordinator at AfricaRice in Cotonou. Before then at INERA in Bobo- Dioulasso, he made notable contributions to the implementation of CPWF in the Volta. “I had the pleasure of working with Youssouf on Phase I of the CPWF and have always considered him as one of the very good guys. He will be missed by family, friends and colleagues world-wide” Said Amy Sullivan, CPWF Limpopo Basin Leader. Dr Dembele was part of V3 team until he joined AfricaRice late last year. He was very active at the stakeholders consultation workshop and the proposal development workshop that shaped the design of the current VBDC program. Remembering his contribution to the 1st VBDC Project Leaders meeting in March 2011, Olufunke Cofie, CPWF Volta Basin Leader, remarked “Dr Dembele was very calm and knowledgeable, surely a lost talent.” We would like to offer our sincere condolences to the bereaved family, their relatives and friends. May the departed soul rest in eternal peace!

The Volta Basin Development Challenge (VBDC) is one of six on-going research-for-development initiatives of the CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and Food (CPWF). The VBDC is being carried out with funding from European Union and technical support of IFAD. Please sign up to receive the VBDC Research Update in your inbox at the VBDC Website.